Having trouble getting ice out of waterers

[TK Poultry]

I have 5 gallon buckets for waterers that I put in my duck and chicken pens. I go out tonight and I find a five gallons worth of ice in my bucket! I of course can't get it out so I used a backup bucket I have but how am I going to get these ice blocks out of the buckets? I thought about coming home putting the waterers under a heat lamp for an hour or two and then changing it. good or bad idea?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I don't know about buckets, but if you get the black rubber pans all you have to do is turn them upside down and step on them. Ice block comes right out.

I don't know how that would work for ducks though.

If you don't want to buy something else, then I would just put it in the garage and let it thaw...go scrounge another one?

 

[emvickrey]

We bring our waterers in and run warm water in or over them to thaw and refill and take back out. A big bucket I would put in the tub close the shower curtain or doors and turn on a hot shower on it upside down. You don't want to tap on it or something like that because the bucket will break. Been there done that. We use the bottom half of the 5 gallon buckets in the big coop and right now it's just the top of the water that's freezing so they just get dumped outside of the coop but soon we will have to bring them in. Last year we used a heated dog bowl but we had way less chickens and only in the coop. We have other pens and cages this year.

There are heaters you can make to set the bucket on to help keep them from freezing or you can buy a dog bowl if that would be enough water for them. Around here they costs around $15 but they are worth every penny when it comes to being out in the cold less to remove ice.

 

[chickendude]

Funny, I just went out to my coop to retrieve the water fount. It was a solid block of ice also. I just bring it inside the basement and run warm water over it in the slop sink. Works great. I am in the middle of building a new coop that will have electricity and a heated fount base. It can't be done quick enough as our temps are in the low 20's at night.

 

[windtryst]

Black rubber feed dishes from the feed store, Agway...or a electric dog waterer...both work just fine

 

[lizzybird]

I have been using the larger size heated dog water bowl. It has been working great. I have it on a couple of cement blocks and it sits outside in the chicken run and have not had any ice in it yet.

 

[M@M@2four]

Quote:
AGREED!!! I always switch my waterers to black rubber bowls for winter time. I only fill them 1/4-1/2 way full. If frozen, just flip, and step on the rubber bottom and the ice just pops out and then re-fill with fresh water! VOILA!!! Problem solved!!

 

[TK Poultry]

ok rubber pan it is....duck muck really doesn't freeze so I don't always have to worry about that but I'm going to try the rubber pan...

 

[darkmatter]

M@M@2four :

Quote:
AGREED!!! I always switch my waterers to black rubber bowls for winter time. I only fill them 1/4-1/2 way full. If frozen, just flip, and step on the rubber bottom and the ice just pops out and then re-fill with fresh water! VOILA!!! Problem solved!!

That's what I use too.​

 

[vlapinta]

Where can I purchase rubber bowls on line?

Vicki